The 30th anniversary of Tomb Raider is in full swing, and there are lots of projects in the works, including Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, the second remake of 1996’s Tomb Raider. Recently, CBR attended a preview of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis at Summer Game Fest Play Days and had a hands-on look at the upcoming game.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is a shining example of why video game remakes are worth playing. It also shows that sometimes, video game delays can be a good thing. Legacy of Atlantis is clearly benefiting from extra polishing time, and the game should be in great shape when it arrives on February 12, 2026.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis’ Delay Was the Right Call
There was no tutorial for the Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis preview, so aside from a brief explanation of the mechanics, I jumped right in. The first section centered on Lara needing to drain a waterfall to access a temple, which required finding cogs for an ancient device that would stop the flow of water.
A few issues came up during this section, involving bugs, jumping, and figuring out where I was supposed to go. That last point is partly on me, since the team did mention looking for white paint as a sign of where Lara could climb. Still, after speaking with others who played the preview, it became clear that the white paint blended in too much.
Another issue is the jumping in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, which feels too floaty. Even though the game is a remake of the original 1996 release, it’s worth playing because it fixes some of the original’s issues, and it doesn’t need to replicate its floaty jumps. This becomes especially noticeable during running jumps, where the timing feels off.
I also ran into a bug caused by underwater movement. After that happened, every later attempt to go underwater ended with Lara drowning. Despite those issues, the game looks stunning, and the water in particular feels like a visual showcase. Getting lost wasn’t ideal, but it at least gave more time to appreciate how impressive the graphics are.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Has Incredible Combat
The second part of the preview had no issues, and the combat is a lot of fun. Anyone expecting something closer to the rebooted Tomb Raider trilogy may be disappointed, because this feels much more like the classic PlayStation games, just updated for the modern era.
Lara has infinite ammo with her dual pistols, which comes in handy when taking out small raptors. The coolest feature is the occasional slow-motion jump she can pull off. It gives her more time to shoot at enemies while also making her look badass.
This part of the preview ended with a T. rex spotting Lara and forcing her to flee, which definitely left me wanting more. While some elements still need smoothing out, I’m still excited to experience a new take on classic Tomb Raider when the remake arrives next year.
With a few improvements, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis could be an incredible anniversary gift for Lara Croft. The delays will give the developers plenty of time to add some polish and ensure this remake lives up to the iconic original.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches on February 12, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
- Released
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February 12, 2027
- ESRB
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Teen / Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Crystal Dynamics, Flying Wild Hog
- Publisher(s)
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Amazon Games
- Number of Players
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Single-player